Garment form retainer



Nov. 4, 1969 Filed Jan. T, 1969 O. R. BREKLE GARMENT FORM RETAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oliver R. Bre/(le Attorneys I 1969 o. R. BREKLE 76, 98

GARMENT FORM RETAINER Filed Jan. 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 m I v At orneys United States Patent 3,476,298 GARMENT FORM RETAINER Oliver R. Brelrle, Birmingham, Ala., assignor to M & B Metal Products Company, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 6, 1969, Ser. No. 789,198 Int. Cl. A47f 7/00 U.S. Cl. 223-71 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A form retainer for overlapped portions of a coat garment having pocket in one overlapped portion in substantial alignment with button hole in other overlapped portion. Elongated wire-like member extends from pocket to button hole with depending extension at one end which enters pocket and extension at other end which is coupled to button hole.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a garment form retainer and more particularly to improved means for retaining adjacent overlapped portions of a coat-like garment at a predetermined position relative to each other with one overlapped portion having a pocket therein in substantial horizontal alignment with a button hole provided in the other overlapped portion, whereby the garment does not sag while hung on a coat hanger.

As is well known in the art to which my invention relates, many dew'ces have been proposed for retaining overlapped portions of a coat-like garment at predetermined positions relative to each other, such as by employing a long, fiat paper-like member having a slot inwardly of one end thereof and a projection adjacent the other end thereof for engaging a button and a button hole, respectively, provided in the overlapped portions of the garment. Such flat members are not only easily bent or creased whereby the overlapped portions of the garment move outwardly away from each other but the sharp edges of the slit, which receives the button, often cut the thread which secures the button to the garment. Also, with such flat retainer devices, the overlapped portions of the garment must be held adjacent each other as plastic garment covers are positioned over the garment and must be readjusted after the plastic bag or cover has been inserted whereby the overlapped portions are positioned properly relative to each other.

Brief summary of invention In accordance with-my present invention, I provide a garment form retainer which is made of a single length of wire-like material with an extension at one end thereof entering a pocket carried by one overlapped portion of the garment and an extension at the other end of the device being coupled to an aligned 'button hole carried by the other overlapped portion of the garment. The overlapped portions of the garment are retained positively in a fixed position relative to each other whereby plastic covers or bags may be readily inserted without subsequent readjustment of the overlapped portions relative to each other. My improved garment form retainer is particularly adapted for use on garments where plastic covers are not employed for the reason that the overlapped portions of the garment cannot flare outwardly away from each other after my improved retainer is attached thereto. Since my improved retainer is attached to a pocket and an adjacent button hole, there is no connection to a button of the garment whereby there is no damage to the threads which secure the button to the garment. By forming my improved retainer of a single length of soft wire, my improved form retainer is extremely simple of construction,

3,476,298 Patented Nov. 4., 1969 economical of manufacture and requires a minimum of space for storage and shipment. Furthermore, my improved retainer is adapted for quick and easy installation and does not damage the garment in any manner.

Garment form retainers embodying features of my invention are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the form retainer;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view showing a garment with my improved form retainer attached thereto and retaining the overlapped portions of the garment in proper position to prevent sagging;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view showing a modified form of my form retainer;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. '6 is a fragmental view, drawn to a smaller scale, showing the manner in which the retainer shown in FIG. 4 and 5 is attached to overlapped portions of a garment;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view showing another form of my retainer;

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the retainer shown in FIG 7 showing the manner in which it is attached to a garment; and,

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view showing a still further modified form of my retainer.

Referring now to the drawing for a better understanding of my invention, my improved garment form retainer is formed from a single length of wire and comprises an elongated wire-like member 10 which is of a length to extend from a pocket 11 carried by an overlapped portion 12 of a coat-like garment indicated generally at 13 to an adjacent button hole 14 carried by the other overlapped portion 16 of the garment. -As shown in FIG 3, the opening for the pocket 11 is in substantial horizontal alignment with the lowermost button hole 14 for the garment 13 whereby the elongated wire-like member 10 extends in a generally horizontal plane.

A depending wire-like extension 17 is carried by one end of the wire-like member 10 in position to enter the pocket 11, as shown in FIG. 3, to thus attach that end of the retainer to the overlapped portion 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper end of the depending extension 17 is connected to an inwardly extending wire-like section 18 which is formed integrally with the adjacent end of the elongated wire-like member 10. Accordingly, the elongated wire-like member 10 extends beyond the upper portion of the depending extension 17 to limit pivotal movement of the adjacent end of the elongated member 10 about the axis of the depending extension 17. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the depending wire-like extension 17 extends downwardly and inwardly and then is bent as at 19 so that the lower portion thereof extends downwardly and outwardly. By providing the bend at 19, the adjacent portion of the depending extension moves inwardly of the adjacent side of the pocket 11 to thus prevent upward movement of the extension 17 relative to the pocket 11. Also, the downwardly and outwardly extending lower portion of the depending extension 17 facilitates insertion of the extension 17 into the pocket 11.

Formed integrally with the end of the elongated wirelike member 10 opposite the end thereof carrying the depending extension 17 is a lateral section 21 which is formed integrally with an extension 22 which extends inwardly alongside the wire-like member 10, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 in position to pass through the button hole 14 provided in the overlapped portion 16 of the garment. As shown in FIG. 1, the extension 22 extends inwardly intermediate its ends toward the wire-like member 10, as at 23, whereby it is in position to engage the 3 overlapped portion 16 of the garment adjacent the button hole 14.

The free ends of the extensions 17 and 22 are rounded as at 24 to facilitate insertion of the extension 17 into the pocket 11 and to facilitate insertion of the extension 22 through the button hole 14 without damage to the garment. The rounded portion 24 may be provided by applying a plastic-like material to the tips of the extensions 17 and 22. Preferably, the length of wire forming my improved retainer is relatively soft whereby the wire will bend when excessive pressures are app-lied, thus preventing damage to the garment in the event undue pressures are exerted forcing the overlapped sections 12 and 16 away from each other.

From the foregoing description, the installation and use of my improved form retainer shown in FIGS. 1 through 3 will be readily understood. The garment may be supported by a suitable coat hanger, not shown, with the overlapped sections 12 and 16 in the position shown in FIG. 3. The inwardly extending extension 22 i inserted through the button hole 14 whereby the laterally extending portion 21 engages the button hole. With one end of the elongated member 10 attached to the button hole 14, the lower end of the depending extension 17 is inserted into the pocket 11 carried by the overlapped portion 12 of the garment in position for the bend 19 to engage the inner edge of the pocket 11 and thus limit upward movement of the extension 17 relative to the pocket. With the retainer thus installed, as shown in FIG. 3, the elongated wire-like member 10 extends in a generally horizontal plane with one end thereof extending beyond the depending extension 17 to limit pivotal movement of the retainer about the depending extension 17. With the retainer thus installed, the overlapped portions 12 and 16 are held positively in position whereby there is no tendency for the overlapped portions to move outwardly away from each other.

In FIGS. 4, and 6, I show a modified form of my invention in which an elongated wire-like member a is formed integrally at both ends with inwardly extending sections 18a which extend generally parallel to the elongated, wire-like member 10a. The inner ends of the sections 18a are formed integrally with depending extensions 17a which are bent as at 19a to provide downwardly and outwardly extending lower ends, as shown in FIG. 5. It will thus be seen that the inwardly extending sections 18a and the depending extensions 17a are substantially identical to the inwardly extending section 18 and the depending extension 17 carried by the elongated member 10 shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. The free ends of the depending extensions 17a are rounded as at 24a, such as by applying a plastic-like material thereto.

The garment form retainer shown in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 is installed by inserting the depending extension 17a at one end of the elongated member 10a through the button hole 14 carried by the overlapped portion 16 of the garment, whereby that end of the elongated member 10a is coupled to the button hole. The depending section 17a at the other end of the elongated member 10:: is then inserted into the pocket 11 whereby the inwardly extending bend 19a engages the inner edge of the pocket to thus limit upward movement of the extension 17a relative to the pocket 11.

In FIGS. 7 and 8 of the drawings, I show a further modified form of my invention in which an elongated wire-like member 1012 is formed integrally at one end with a laterally and upwardly extending section 26 which is connected to a depending extension 17b by a curved portion 27. As shown in FIG. 8, an intermediate portion of the depending extension 1711 is positioned closely ad jacent the section 26 and its juncture to the wire-like member 10]) whereby a portion of a pocket 11b carried by a garment section 12b is received therebetween to restrain upward movement of the depending extension 17b relative to the pocket. That is, the upstanding section 26 and the depending extension 17b define a downwardly opening loop-like member which receives the upper, adjacent edge of the pocket 11!) whereby the adjacent end of the wire-like member 10]) is attached to the pocket.

The end of the Wire-like member 10b opposite the end thereof carrying the lateral extension 26 is bent as at 2111 to provide an inwardly disposed extension 2212 which is bent inwardly as at 23b for engaging a portion of a garment section 16b adjacent a button hole 141; provided therein. The ends of the members 17b and 22b are rounded as at 241) by providing plastic-like tips thereon, as described hereinabove.

In FIG. 9 of the drawings, I show a still further modified form of my invention in which an elongated wirelike member is formed integrally at one end thereof with an upwardly and laterally extending section 26c which in turn is bent as at 27c and formed integrally with a depending extension to provide a downwardly opening loop-like member which engages the adjacent por tion of a pocket 1112, as described above relative to the form retainer shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The portion of the elongated wire-like member 100 adjacent the laterally and upwardly extending section 26c is bent in the form of an S instead of being in a substantially straight line, as shown in the embodiment of FIGS. 7 and 8. The operation of the retainer shown in FIG. 9 is identical to the operation of the retainer shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. That is, the wire-like member 100 is bent on itself to provide an inwardly extending portion 220 which engages a portion of the garment adjacent the button hole through which the extension 22c is inserted. Also, the ends of the extensions 17c and 22c are rounded as at 240, such as by applying a plastic-like material thereto, as described hereinabove.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have devised an improved garment form retainer which holds the overlapped portions of a coat-like garment positively in proper position relative to each other regardless of whether or not the garment is covered by a plastic bag or cover member. By providing a retainer which is connected at one end to a pocket of the garment and at its other end to a button hole, I eliminate entirely the necessity of attaching my improved retainer to a button or the threads which secure the button to the garment. Also, by forming my retainer from a length of wire-like material, I not only greatly reduce the cost of manufacture of the retainer but provide a retainer which does not crease and permit outward movement of the overlapped sections of the garment while in normal use. Furthermore, by forming my improved retainer of a wire-like material, the retainer may be easily and quickly installed and removed with a minimum effort without damage to the garment and at the same time a minimum of spaced is required for storing and shipping the retainers.

While I have shown my invention in but two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is:

1. In a garment form retainer for holding adjacent overlapped portions of a coat garment at a predetermined position relative to each other with one overlapped portion having at least one pocket therein and the other overlapped portion having at least one button hole therein:

(a) an elongated wire-like member of a length to extend from said pocket to said button hole,

(b) a depending wire-like extension at one end of said wire-like member disposed to enter said pocket and thus attach said one end of said wire-like member to said one overlapped portion, and

(c) a wire-like extension at the other end of said wirelike member for coupling said other end to said button hole whereby said other end is attached to said other overlapped portion.

2. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said one end of said wire-like member is connected to an inwardly extending wire-like section which in turn is connected to said depending wire-like extension so that said one end of said wire-like member extends beyond said depending wire-like extension.

3. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which the ends of said wire-like extensions are rounded to facilitate insertion into said pocket and said button hole.

4. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said depending wire-like extension at said one end of said wire-like member extends downwardly and inwardly and then downwardly and outwardly adjacent the lower portion thereof.

5. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said wire-like extension at said other end of said wire-like member extends downwardly in spaced relation to said depending wire-like extension at said one end.

6. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said wire-like member and said extensions are formed of a soft, bendable, material.

7. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said wire-like extension at said other end of said wire-like member extends laterally and then inwardly alongside said wire-like member in position to pass through said button hole in said other overlapped portion 6 and engage said other overlapped portion adjacent said button hole.

8. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 7 in which said wire-like extension at said other end of said wire-like member extends inwardly intermediate its ends toward said wire-like member to engage said other overlapped portion adjacent said button hole.

9. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 1 in which said wire-like extension at said one end of said wire-like member is formed integrally with a lateral extension which extends upwardly from said one end of said wire-like member to receive an adjacent portion of said pocket between said lateral extension and said wirelike extension at said one end of said wire-like member.

10. A garment form retainer as defined in claim 9 in which portions of said lateral extension and said wire-like extension at said one end of said wire-like member are closely adjacent each other to engage said portion of said pocket therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,303,976 2/1967 Scheuer 22371 3,411,678 11/1968 Sherbondy 223-71 MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner 

